Bottom well choke



April 9, 1935 J. H. HOWARD BOTTOM WELL CHOKE Filed Dec. 26, 1930 gwucnto o JAMES H. HOWARD Fatented Apr. 9, 1935 3 996322 UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE BOTTOM WELL CHOKE James H. Howard, Houston, Tex., assignor to J. H. McEvoy & Company, Houston, Tex.

Application December 26, 1930, Serial No. 504,721 1 Claim. (Cl. 166-'-2) The invention relates to an improvement in gaswhich is being discharged from the oil sand chokes or valve structures which are adapted facilitated. for use in connection with restricting the flow The invention will best be understood by havof fluid through pipes. ing reference to Fig. 1, wherein the casing or This invention as disclosed in the present apoutside tubing is indicated by the numeral l. 5 plication is particularly intended for use in oil This is the usual string of tubing 0 cas n an and gas wells and is arranged to be located at may extend from the top to the bottom of the the bottom of the well. well bore. In some instances strainer screens It is one of the objects of the invention to proare connected to the lower end of the tubing or 10 vide a means for controlling the amount of fluid the strainer screen may be carried by the lower 10 flow from oil or gas wells. wherein the control end of the inside tubing indicated at 2. This mechanism is located at the bottom of the well string of tubing is known as the inner string or at some point below the surface. and extends to the surface and is the one Another object of theinvention is to provide through which the oil and gas are usually disa mechanism which is adapted to close the tube charged from the well. 15

while it is being lowered into the well and which The present invention is arranged for insermay thereafter be opened up to permit and adtion between two sections of this tubing or at just the amount offlow occurring through the the lower end thereof, and embodies a nipple tubing. 4, which is arranged for connection with a cou- Astill further object of the invention is to propling 5, which is in turn connected with a sec- 20 vide a bottom well choke which may be ad- 0nd coupling 6, which is threaded inside of the justed by manipulation of the tubing through lower end of the coupling 5 and is arranged which the fluid is flowing. to be retained in any adjusted position by means A still further object of the invention is to of the lock ring 1. The coupling 6 has a seat provide a bottom well choke whereby the oil 8 on its upper end which is adapted to receive 25 gas ratio may be controlled. a plurality of packing rings 9 of any desired A still further object of the invention is to type. This packing is held in position by means p'rovidea choke which will be readily adjustable, of the seating ring H), which is threaded to simple and economical in its construction, and the coupling 5. Above this seating ring the couwhich may be readily applied to existing strucpling 5 is recessed at H to receive the flange I2 30 tures. of the guide member l3. This guidemember is I The invention will be best understood by havfree to rotate inside of the coupling 6 and the ing reference to the drawing wherein Figs. 1 packing 9 but is prevented from longitudinal and 2 are central vertical sectional views of the movement by engagement 0f t a e l2 ninvention installedin a well, Fig. 2 being aconside the recess H. In this manner a swivel 35 tinuation of Fig. 1. connection is formed between the tubing 2 and Variousdevices have been devised in connecthe lower Section Of the tubing which W be tion with oil field equipment in an attempt to designated y the numeral 25 T1315 lower e t 1 t flo of 011 and gas from the n tion of tubing 2' is connected with the gu1de 40 and particularly where heavy pressures are member l3 by means of the valve seat 5 and 40 countered. Many of these devices have been 10- couphng 1S preYented from rotatlon by cated at the top of the well in an attempt to shut set of sprmgs whmh are connected to the tubing by means of screws or other means l9. off the flow of fund I have found how'gver by Adjustment of the amount of tension in the various tests that it is most desirable to control v springs may be accomphshed by means of the fl of the of'fihe wen and thus adjuster rings 2|], which are spaced above and eliminate excessive strams and stresses upon the below the main portion of the Springs '8 Stung of tubmg and control the pressure at the When the device is lowered into the well the point of its origination and before it has had Springs '8 are in the position Shown in 2 an opportumty to force itself thmugh the and scrape along on the inside of the casing I 50 with a choke of the type Shown in this until the elevation at which the choke is to application the Oil gas ratio may be accurately be placed has been reached. The-springs press Controlled Conform w th t n S u and against the casing with sufficient force to hold the ever-increasing tendency of the authorities the tube 2, the valve seat l5 and the guide memto more accurately control the ratio of oil and her l3 from rotation and are adapted to exert 55 a resistance greater than the friction between the coupling 6 and the packing 9 with respect to the guide member I3. With this construction it seems apparent that when the device is lowered into the well that the valve seat I5 will normally be held from rotation when the string of tubing is rotated.

In order to have an adjustable member which will control the oil gas ratio and the flow of fluid through the tubing there has been provided a spider 22, which is shown in section through the wing portions of the spider in Fig. 1. It is to be understood that there are any desired number of passages between the wings of this spider which permit the free flow of fluid thereby. This spider is preferably welded or otherwise affixed to the coupling 5 so that it is anchored thereto and will rotate therewith. This spider is threaded internally at 23 and is arranged to receive the threaded stem 24 of. the valve. The stem 24 has fixed thereto the guide wings 25 which extend radially from the stem and are arranged for engagement in the grooves '25, which are formed in the guide member l3.

Thus it seems apparent that, due to the fact that the spider 22 is fixed to the coupling 5 and will rotate with the string of tubing 2, and the guide member I3 is fixed to the tubing 2', and will be held stationary by the springs l8, rotative' movement between the parts will occur to the threaded portion 23 of the spider 22.

Thus, if the tubing 2 is rotated while the tubing 2' is held stationary the valve stem 24 will be moved longitudinally due to this threaded engagement. When this occurs the wings 25 will slide in the grooves 26 and this longitudinal movement will cause similar longitudinal movement of the valve or choke member 21 with respect to the valve or choke seat IS. The choke member may be formed of any desired construction and the one here illustrated has a tapered face 28 which terminates in a point to form a conical member. The valve or choke seat l5 has a tapered outlet 29, a straight portion 30 and a tapered inlet 3|, so that a venturi effect is obtained and considerable wearing surface will be available on which the choke member 21 may seat. A spring 32 is shown on the valve stem 24 in order to cause the threads to reengage with the spider 22 when the rotation is reversed in event the tubing has been rotated a suflicient amount to cause the stem to have passed entirely through the spider 22. It is intended that the taper of the choke 21 and of the seat 29 may be of the same degree so that a very fine adjustment and long wearing area may be available.

With the foregoing construction it seems apparent that a very fine adjustment may be obtained for the purpose of controlling the fiow of fluid into the tubing 2. By slight rotation of the tubing at the surface adjustment of the choke 21 may be'accomplishedas desired so that the choke may be opened to allow a full flow of fluid or it may be-choked down to restrict the flow in accordance with proration regulations or to obtain the best and most efficient oil gas ratio inthe well.

I claim:

A flow choke of the character described comprising two adjacent pipes, a swivel connection between said pipes, a spider fixed in one pipe, a stem threaded in said spider adapted for movement upon relative rotation of the stem and spider, a wing piece on said stem, means on the other piece of pipe toengage said wing piece so that said stem and wing piece will rotate therewith, a valve on said stem, a seat therefor on said last piece of pipe whereby relative rotation of said pipe accomplishes thread ing of said stem through said spider to adjust said valve as a choke.

JANIES H. HOWARD. 

